mandalay

Please help: can't choose where to stay in Paris. I have the option of staying in a citadines apartment in 3rd district, or staying in an apartment at the hotel mayet in the 6th district.
We are a group of 4 staying for 3 nights in January. We are arriving by train from Turin. We plan to walk to most places of interest, but happy to take the metro too.

any suggestions please would be helpful.

Thanks

Christina

I was going to say, the main advantage of Citadines is you'd get a kitchenette, but then you said that hotel had an apt anyway. I just looked at it, that's a nice option, I wasn't aware of it. That's not a bad location near Duroc metro.

I can't find any Citadines in the 3rd arr. so don't know how to compare locations. What is the address and the "label" they attach to it? It isn't Republique or Les Halles or Bastille Marais, those were the only possible suspects I could see. Are you sure it's not the 13th?

The Mayet apt looks very nice, how do the prices compare?

mandalay

Hi Christina

The place is called Citadines Bastille Bastille Marais Paris.

Citadines apartment is $350.00AUD cheaper than the Mayet apartment.

Thanks for your reply

tuscanlifeedit

Is the 350 AUD over the three nights, and split among four people?

That could take the sting out.

MmePerdu

Have you, by any chance, checked out the 2 neighborhoods in Google Streetview? Since you've mentioned both places and don't say either is over your budget, I suggest you have a look around and pick the one in the neighborhood you like better, assuming you like the look of the apartments equally.

mandalay

Tuscanlifeedit

The 350AUD is over the 3 nights. We are a family of 4: 2 adult children. My husband and I are paying for the trip.

Christina

sorry, I didn't respond sooner -- that Citadines apt is most certainly not in the 3rd arr., which is what I thought. It's in the 11th arr 15 37, bd Richard Lenoir. It's about a block north of the Breguet-Sabin metro stop.

I've stayed in that area, it's fine, actually. There are some good restaurants and bistros near there, it's not far to a very lively area (around Bastille column or just west into the Marais). In fact, I would personally prefer that location to the one near Duroc which I think is a bit dull. If you are find with both apts, therefore, I'd take the Citadines as it is cheaper and I like that location. But either would be fine.

Sarastro

<i>Duroc which I think is a bit dull.</i>

Well I live in this <i>dull</i> neighborhood and think it´s probably one of the best places to stay anywhere in Paris.

Firstly, there are two fabulous restaurants within a 2 minute walk from any address on rue Mayet: la Cadole on Mayet and Josephine chez Dumonet on Cherche midi at the east end of rue Mayet.
http://www.lacadole.net/
http://www.foodandwine.com/restauran...e-france-paris
If you expanded the walking radius to 10 minutes, I could suggest a dozen excellent restaurants.

Secondly, if you are interesting in cooking, here are the best locations for shopping in the neighborhood:
- cheese: Quatre Homme - http://www.quatrehomme.fr/
- bread: either Malo or Guillaume Abot, both on rue de Sèvres just around the corner from rue Mayet. Poilâne is a short walk down Cherche Midi.
- butcher: Fontaine on rue de Sèvres
- drug store: Pharmacie de Sèvres where they speak English.
- grocery store: Carrefour City on rue de Sèvres or if you want something unique and hard to find - l´Épicerie du Bon Marché on rue de Sèvres.
- markets: the Raspail market on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 07h00 to 14h30

Thirdly, transportation is excellent. Take either bus 82 or 92 to Montparnasse or towards the Eiffel Tower. You can be at any of the many wonderful restaurants off ave Bosquet in about 5 minutes. Using the métro (M10) the heart of the Latin Quarter or St Germain takes 6 to 8 minutes.

Forthly, nearby tourist points of interest are numerous: les Invalides, Musée Rodin, Musée d´Orsay or the Jardin de Luxembourg are all within easy walking distance. There is nowhere in Paris you could not be within 30 minutes and the most popular tourist sights are accessible in under 15 minutes.

Lastly, as a tourist, if I had the option to stay here I wouldn´t even consider anywhere else.